Heel pain

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Every mile you walk puts a great deal of force on each foot. The feet can withstand a large load, but an excessive amount of stress drives them beyond their limits. Any time you pound your feet on hard surfaces playing sports or wear shoes that irritate sensitive tissues, chances are you’ll develop heel pain, the most typical problem affecting the foot and ankle. An aching heel will often improve by itself without surgery should you provide it with enough rest. However, many individuals try and neglect the early indications of heel pain by doing those actions that caused it. Carrying on using a painful heel can only intensify and may turn into a chronic condition resulting in more problems.

Causes

Conditions generally fall under two main categories: pain either under the heel or behind the heel.

Pain under the heel

When it hurts beneath your heel, you may have one or two problems that inflame the tissues at the base of your foot:

• Plantar fasciitis (subcalcaneal pain). Undertaking an excessive amount of running or jumping can inflame the tissue band (fascia) connecting the heel bone to the base of the toes. The pain sensation is centered beneath your heel and can be mild to start with but flares up once you take the first steps after resting overnight. You may have to do special exercises, take medication to relieve swelling and wear a heel pad inside your shoe.

• Heel spur. When plantar fasciitis continues for an extended time, a heel spur (calcium deposit) may form. Usually on the location where the fascia tissue band connects on your heel bone. Your physician will take an X-ray to confirm a bony protrusion, which often can vary in size. Treatment methods are normally identical to plantar fasciitis: rest up until the pain subsides, do special stretching and wear heel pad shoe inserts.

Pain behind the heel

For those who have pain behind your heel, possibly you have inflamed the location in which the Achilles tendon inserts on the heel bone (retrocalcaneal bursitis). People frequently get this by running a lot or wearing shoes that rub or cut into the rear of the heel.

Treatment

Treatment includes:

  • Resting from the activities that caused the problem, doing certain stretches, using pain medication and wearing open-back shoes.
  • Your chiropractor may suggest orthotics (heel inserts).
  • Stretch your calf muscles. Try leaning forward against a wall together with your feet flat on the ground and heel elevated while using the insert.
  • Use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications for pain and swelling.
  • Consider placing ice to the back of the heel to decrease inflammation.
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